What is NEBOSH

NEBOSH is an acronym that stands for the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health. NEBOSH was formed in 1979 as an awarding body with charitable status. They offer a comprehensive range of globally recognised qualifications designed to meet the health, safety and environmental management needs of all places of work.

Courses leading to NEBOSH qualifications attract around 50,000 candidates annually and are offered by over 600 course providers, with exams taken in over 110 countries around the world. In 2014, NEBOSH were awarded Britain's highest accolade for trade success, the Queen's Award for Enterprise, for their "outstanding achievement" in International Trade.

NEBOSH qualifications are recognised by the relevant professional membership bodies including the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM) and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA). This means that successful candidates can apply to use letters such as TechIOSH, GradIOSH, CMIOSH, and MIIRSM after their name.

NEBOSH examinations and assessments are set by its professionally qualified staff assisted by external examiners; most of whom are Chartered Safety and Health Practitioners or Chartered Environmentalists operating within industry, the public sector or in enforcement. The technical standards are overseen by a Qualification and Technical Council with representatives drawn from national institutions.

Those working in health and safety are often required to hold the appropriate NEBOSH qualification for their job role, and for many, career progression is closely linked to enhanced NEBOSH qualifications.